Inside The Game/Part 7
In Gametron, Razor was on the bridge of the Carrier, just recovering from being chewed out by Sarkamel for his incompetence of letting two renegade Game Warriors escape by using the Skimmer. Razor could sense fear coming from his master, as if he knew how dangerous two Game Warriors could be if they could get all the way to Sarkamel's Citadel and defeat him. That, and the threat that he would be personally "control-alt-deleted" by Sarkamel himself if he failed his master, was all the motivation he needed to stop those Game Warriors before they proceeded that far. Razor's first officer, Tazer, approached him as he was meditating on his mission. "What do you want to do with the Tower Guardian, Commander?" he asked. "Put him in with the others?" "No, bit brain, I want you to prepare him for interrogation," Razor replied. "I need to have a little relaxation. But first, rez up the Carrier for pursuit. We're going to capture those Game Warriors if that's the last thing we will do." "Yes, Commander," Tazer said, ready to carry out his commander's orders. "And one other thing," Razor added, "don't think anymore. I do the thinking around here. Understand?" Tazer gulped, realizing the implied threat. "Yes, Commander." ----- On board the Skimmer, Hefty watched as they passed across the beautiful scenery that was the Sea of Simulation. He had never seen an ocean with colors on the water so bright and always changing. He could only wish to show his fellow Smurfs what this world looked like. "Has anyone ever visited Sarkamel in his Citadel, besides Razor and his Warrior Elite?" Hefty asked. "Sarkamel likes to keep himself distant from all the Gametronians on this world, Hefty," Auron answered. "He communicates mostly by projecting holograms of his face to the citizens of the world, particularly to his underling Razor." "Razor feeds on the power that Sarkamel gives him on a regular basis, from what I have heard," Pixel added. "It's a wonder that all that power doesn't delete him in a microcycle." "So that must be why it's so difficult to defeat him, even in the Arena," Hefty said. "He probably doesn't think that we're much of a threat to him." "I'd like to be the first to prove him wrong, Hefty," Auron said. "He's faced Gametronians that were no match for him, but I survived hundreds of his Warrior Elite and he still won't personally challenge me." "Probably because Razor knows Auron would match his skill as a Game Warrior," Pixel said. "With what new programming his Creator has given Auron, Razor might find himself outclassed." Hefty snickered. "I can't wait to see how that match smurfs out between the two of you, Auron." Then suddenly there was a jolt as a burst of energy had struck the Skimmer. "What's happened, Pixel?" Auron asked. "It's a power surge coming from Sarkamel's Citadel, Auron," Pixel answered, seeing that her control buttons have all turned red, indicating an overload. "Then we have to get off this beam or we'll be fried to death," Auron said. "I can't," Pixel said. "There isn't another junction for at least seven or eight nanocycles." Then Hefty saw something ahead that was crossing their path. "There's another beam," he called out. "It's too far for us to reach it," Pixel said. Then Hefty thought of something to do. Without telling either Auron or Pixel, he quickly ran to the front of the Skimmer and climbed onto its bow, looking at the power surge as it glowed so bright that Hefty had trouble looking straight at it. He stuck his hand into the surge and could feel its power coursing through him, not harming him at all. His body glowed with the same energy, and with his other hand he pointed straight at the other beam, causing it to connect. "He's created a junction for us," Auron said, understanding what he was seeing. "Quick, Pixel, transfer us to that other beam." "I'm on it," Pixel said as she pressed buttons on the control console. The Skimmer lifted itself up from the beam it was on and turned itself around to connect to the other beam before it continued onward, safe from harm. Auron headed to the bow of the Skimmer and noticed that Hefty looked like he was ready to pass out. "Did we make it?" he asked Auron. "Yes, we did, Hefty," Auron answered. "You've saved us." Hefty smiled. "Smurf one for the good guys," he muttered before he passed out completely. ----- On board the Carrier, Dyson was sprawled out against a wall that was holding him fast, being tortured by electrical shocks that were coursing through his body. Dyson felt the strain that each shock was producing on his body, making him grimace in pain as it felt like he was being torn apart limb from limb. Yet through the pain, Dyson refused to give in and allow himself to be used for giving any information about Auron and Pixel that would prove useful to Sarkamel. Then Razor entered the room to watch. "Had enough?" he asked with a sneer. "What do you want, Razor? I'm busy," Dyson responded. "Busy dying, you worn-out excuse for an old Gametronian," Razor said. "You think that you and your puny Game Warriors will be enough to stop Sarkamel from having full reign over this world? We're the future, and you're the past." "Sarkamel was a Gametronian like you, who thought that he could be somebody big by controlling others like he was a Creator, Razor," Dyson said with a defiant tone in his voice. "He started off small, and that's how he will end up." "Very funny, Dyson," Razor scoffed. "Maybe I'll just keep around in order to make me laugh at your pathetic attempts of resistance." "You can destroy Gametronians like me who believe in the Creators, but it is the Creators who built this world and gave all of us life," Dyson said. "Their spirit remains in everything that exists in this world, and it will only pass away when the Creators wish it to be so." "The Creators will be history once Sarkamel achieves full power, as you will be and the Game Warriors who believe in them when we're finished," Razor said, laughing maniacally as he walked out of the room, leaving Dyson to contemplate his own fate. ----- In the Smurf Village, Handy was enjoying some coffee and donuts that Biscotti had made in his bakery that morning. "I haven't heard Hefty come to breakfast this morning like he usually does, Handy," Biscotti said. "I can only wonder what's wrong with him." "Oh, you know Hefty can be so busy at times that you can hardly smurf him around in the village, Biscotti," Handy said. "A Smurf like him has got to make sure that every Smurf is busy smurfing their daily activities." "But isn't that why we have Empath back here in the village, to be Papa Smurf's second-in-command obsmurfing over all things?" Biscotti said. "Empath smurfs a good job doing that, but he's only one Smurf doing the job, which is why we have Hefty when Empath isn't around to smurf that," Handy said. "Anyway, a smurf like Hefty has got to be careful with himself that he doesn't smurf himself ragged in a single day smurfing over everything," Biscotti said. "I like that he can keep himself physically in shape and everything, but I do worry about that day when he's going to smurf himself out like a candle." "I worry about that too, Biscotti," Handy said. "I know Hefty and I like to argue about things, but he's my brother, and I care for him very much that I wouldn't want to smurf anything bad happen to him." "Well, I hope to see Hefty sometime soon before the day is through, Handy," Biscotti said. "In the meantime, I've got bread to smurf in my oven, so I'm going to be plenty busy in here making sure all my fellow Smurfs here have bread to smurf." Just then, Nat and Slouchy had just entered the bakery, with Nat carrying Handy's box of tools. "Handy, thank smurfness you're here," Nat said, sounding desperate. "Tidy says that he's smurfing problems with his washing machine and that he needs you to smurf into fixing it this morning." "Again?" Handy said, sounding bewildered. "And I thought that I had the problem smurfed just weeks ago." He sighed as he realized that other problems in the village would have to take precedence over trying to get Hefty out of the Game Wand's memory. "Oh, very well then. It's a good thing that you smurfed my tools with you when you came to me smurfing the news. If you'll excuse me, Biscotti, I need to get myself working on smurfing care of Tidy's washing machine." "Hey, it's no problem, Handy," Biscotti said. "You've got places to smurf in your day. Just be careful that you don't end up like your brother." "I'll try not to be, Biscotti...thanks," Handy said, waving goodbye as he grabbed his tool box and went out the door with Nat and Slouchy following him. ----- Back in Gametron, as the Skimmer continued to travel across the Sea of Simulation, Auron was with Hefty while he was still unconscious and Pixel was at the controls of the Skimmer. "Is he deleting, Auron?" Pixel asked, sounding concerned. "No, he isn't, Pixel," Auron answered. "But for the life of me I cannot tell you why. Maybe he is a Creator that's come to us in the form of a Gametronian." "But if he a Creator, then everything that we have been doing must be according to a plan that he has," Pixel said. "Who knows for sure who he really is but the Creators themselves?" Auron said. After a while, Hefty's eyes began to open. "Still in one piece," he said as he slowly picked himself up. "Oh, what a terrible headache I just had. I could sure use some smurfenol right about now." "How did you know how to do that, Hefty?" Auron asked. "To connect the transport beams together?" "Honestly, I just don't know, Auron," Hefty answered. "Are we there yet?" "We're almost close to the area of Sarkamel's Citadel, Hefty," Pixel answered. "All we need to do is change at one more junction once we're across the sea. You were really impressive when you were creating a new junction for us." "So far we haven't seen Razor's Carrier," Auron said. "Maybe he's gotten lost trying to find us and needs to contact his master to find out where we are." "I almost feel sorry for Razor...almost," Hefty said, laughing to himself at the thought. Soon the Skimmer had reached the other side of the sea and was now traveling over other smaller cities of Gametron before entering into a canyon. Hefty still found himself impressed by how everything looked in this strange world. He almost wished that he wasn't trying to find his way back home so he could explore it more. But as the Skimmer headed out of the canyon, its passengers suddenly saw what was approaching them from the side. It was Razor's Carrier, and it was heading for a collision course with the Skimmer. "RAZOR!" Auron cried out as soon as he saw the Carrier come really close. It sliced through the Skimmer like it was made of brittle wood, cutting the ship in two. Auron tried to join Pixel and Hefty at the rear of the ship, but he was thrown overboard by the impact. Pixel and Hefty held on to dear life to the rear end of the Skimmer as it was swallowed up by the Carrier. ----- Dyson was now in a holding cell, pacing around waiting for the end to come, when the guards brought Pixel and Hefty into the cell. "Dyson!" Pixel cried out as she saw him. "Pixel, thank the Creators you are safe," Dyson said, reaching out to receive her into his arms for comfort. "What happened to Auron?" "Auron's dead," Pixel said somberly. Dyson nodded, realizing that all hope is now lost. "And who's this with you?" he asked. "That is Hefty, a Smurf from another world," Pixel answered. "We were trying to help him find the way home when we were captured. Auron believed that he has the power of a Creator within him." "That is unfortunate," Dyson said as he looked at Hefty in wonder while Hefty stared at him, noticing how similar he was in appearance to Papa Smurf. "If the Creators can't help us now, then all hope for our world is lost." Soon Razor arrived at the cell with his guards. "So we finally got rid of the Game Warrior who was causing trouble while on the loose, and soon we will be rid of you two as well," he gloated, before he then turned and saw Hefty. "You! You should have been deleted...I saw you be deleted!" "Well, that wasn't me, Razor," Hefty said. "There's nothing special about you," Razor said as he looked Hefty over. "You're just another Gametronian in a world of those who believe in the Creators." "And you're just another smurf who thinks they're somebody big," Hefty said. "I've smurfed with your type before, and it doesn't impress me at all." "You are nothing!" Razor snapped, realizing that he couldn't ruffle Hefty. His orange glow burned a bright deep red as his fury rose. "Take Dyson away from the cell and have him join the others!" he commanded. The guards pulled Pixel away from Dyson as they used their staffs to herd Dyson out of his cell. But Pixel couldn't stand to see Dyson be taken away. "No! Please take me instead!" she cried out, trying to stop the guards, but the guard nearest her knocked her away with his staff. Hefty tried to do the same, but was also met with the same result. "I'll be taking Dyson and the other remaining Tower Guardians to Sarkamel for assimilation, where they will become part of him," Razor said. "When I disembark, this ship and everything on it will automatically control-alt-delete. And that means you two." Pixel and Hefty could only watch as Razor left the cell, reactivating the force field to keep them confined. ----- Meanwhile, unknown to Pixel, Hefty, or anyone else, Auron had survived the collision and was slowly making his way across the side of the Carrier to Razor's shuttlecraft. He had a feeling that his friends would be held captive on board the Carrier and wouldn't be taken with Razor once he left the ship with the Tower Guardians. But as much as he wanted to help his friends escape, he knew that getting to Sarkamel's Citadel was of greater importance. He prayed that his Creator would be with Hefty and make sure he got off the Carrier safe with Pixel before the ship was deleted. He soon made it to Razor's shuttlecraft, where he hid himself along the side of the ship, clinging dearly to it to make sure he got to his destination safely. He could overhear Tazer talking to his commander once he, Razor, and the Tower Guardians were on board. "All immediate vectors have been detached, Commander," he reported. "Good," Razor said. "Plot a course directly to the Citadel. I want to get rid of this dead weight and catch a transport beam back to the Arena once we're finished with these prisoners." The shuttlecraft then launched itself and flew toward a mesa that looked like the central location of the planet itself. On that mesa was a structure that looked similar to Gargamel's castle, but made of polygons with glowing lines. Razor knew that this was his master Sarkamel lived, a place where very few Gametronians dared to venture to on their own. As intimidating as the place was, Razor approached it with very little fear. ----- Back in the Smurf Village, Sassette was with Snappy as he was now playing the Gametron game against the Game Master, playing several rounds of the disc battle game. Snappy worked the controls with as much skill as he could muster from the many times he had played the game. "Boy, this Game Master is really good...maybe even too good," Snappy said as he found himself losing a match. "Come on, Snappy," Sassette said, trying to be encouraging. "You know that you're better than him. You're not going to let him smurf the better of you." "Well, here smurfs nothing," Snappy said as he began the next match of play. "I wonder how Nat and Slouchy are doing keeping Handy busy in the village," Sassette said. "I just hope it lasts long enough for me to smurf the Game Master a good smurfing, Sassy," Snappy answered, trying to focus on the game. Just then, Empath had entered Handy's workshop in the hopes of finding him, but instead found Snappy and Sassette. "What are you two doing with the Game Wand?" he asked. "Uh, we were challenging the Game Master into playing a game with us, and now we're trying to beat him at his own game, Empath," Sassette answered. "Handy was trying to get Hefty out of the Game Wand's memory, my fellow Smurflings," Empath said. "This is not going to help with his efforts of doing that." "But the Game Master's the one who smurfed us this game, and he probably smurfed Hefty into that game through his magic, Empath," Snappy said. "You could be pulled into that same dimension if you lose, Snappy," Empath said. "But what else are we going to do, Empath?" Sassette said. "If we don't play the Game Master's game with him, Hefty could be smurfed in that world forever." Empath thought about that for a minute. Then he said, "Snappy, give this smurf the controls." "But Empath, I'm in the middle of a match with the Game Master," Snappy said. "This smurf will take over from here, Snappy," Empath said. "If anyone's going to risk being taken from this world by losing, then this smurf chooses to be the one." Snappy thought about that until he lost a match in the game he was playing. Then he handed the controls over to Empath. "The game is in your hands, Empath. I know you'll have a better chance of beating the Game Master than I will." Empath smiled. "This smurf appreciates the honor, Snappy. This smurf will not disappoint you." He took Snappy's place in front of the window vision screen and started the next match. Smurf to Part 8 Category:Empath the Luckiest Smurf stories Category:Inside The Game chapters